Winton Earl Rohwedder

Date of entry into active service 25 July 1943 Recieved an Honorable Discharge 12 March 1946
Ribbons Recieved - Victory Medal - Point System - Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal (2 Stars) - American Area Campaign Medal

Other Duty Stations and Vessels - NTS Farragut Idaho - Armed Guard Center (Pacific) - SS Howe - SS Morning Light -
US Navel Yard Pearl Harbor - USS LST 334

This was a C2 type freighter that was converted for troop-carrying soon after construction. Following a round trip for the Navy from San Francisco to Espiritu Santo and Pearl Harbor from August to October 1943, the Typhoon went to San Diego from where in early November she began her first voyage for the Army. On that trip the vessel visited Honolulu, Tarawa, Pagp Pago, Apia, Funafuti, Wallis Island and Kahului, and returned to San Francisco on March 1944.
On 24 March the ship proceeded to Honolulu and from there operated westward (to Espiritu Santa Vila, Efate, Eniwetok, Ulithi, etc) until returning to San Francisco in November. She sailed on 9 December for Honolulu and returned to San Francisco on Christmas Eve. In early January 1945 she peparted for Pearl Harbor and for the ensuing six months was locally operated to Eniwetok, Saipan, Ulithi and Okinawa. The Typhoon completed two more trans-pacific voyages before the end of the year; the first, from Seattle on 17 June to Eniwetok, Ulithi, and Okinawa; the second from Seattle on 1 October to Okinawa, Yokohama and Saipan.
The vessel left San Francisco on 21 December 1945 and reached Okinawa on 12 January 1946. She returned to Seattle on 2 Feburary and on 10 March saileld to Manila, Leyte, and Guam. Her next outbound voyage, began on 10 May, was from San Francisco to Okinawa.
Being due at San Francisco again on 22 June, the Typhoon was scheduled to be placed in the Reseve Fleet at Suisun Bay in early July 1946.
Troopships of World War II, By Roland W. Charles, Navel Architect, 1946, page 277
The SS Typhoon recieved 3 battle stars  during her World War II service.
  

 "Non sibi sed patriae" "Not self, but country"". It implies a dedication to serving one's nation and its goals, placing the collective good above individual desires or ambitions. 
                                                                                                  The U.S. Navy’s unofficial motto. 

Winton Earl Rohwedder   12/21/1924  -  11/27/2024

Dad was born in 1924. Almost a hundred years old. Most people know history from school, from books and now the history channel what dad had witnessed in his lifetime. Another one of the greatest generation has left us. There are so few remaining.

Enlisting in the navy after high school in 1943, serving the nation and returning home was a feat in itself. Isn't it funny, that Mike and I did the same thing only twenty-five years later. I knew he was proud of us for doing that.

Returning home and marrying mom. He took care of the five in the family. Mother tells me dad always worked. Never took unemployment. Sweped floors, worked on cars, sold cars, cafe owner, short order cook. A precision machinist by trade, building John Deere tractors, Mark 5 artillery guns, and probably hundreds of pieces and parts to some government contract we would not recognize. I have his tools and tool chest that I will cherish until I pass it to my grandson. Driving for Jewel T, selling for Nutrilite and Amway, always employed.

Dad loved shooting pool. Whether it rotation, eight ball, 9 ball or some other game Dennis started, dad really enjoyed Thursday afternoons.

Dad was good to people. He did not have to think about it, he just was. Always saying thank you no matter what the occasion was.

Your heart has beaten more than 3.5 billion times, rest in peace.

Take that walk with Jesus dad.